Sweet Relief Musicians Fund

What it reported doing in 2025

Sweet relief provides financial assistance and case management for qualified musicians who are in need of medical care and/or are elderly and meet certain requirements. Grants are decided on a case-by-case basis by a committee of musicians according to the applicant's needs, other resources that might be available, and other factors, such as the applicant's contributions to music. Non-measureable achievements include: directing inquiries and grant receipients to other private charities as well as public programs they might not be aware of, and intervening with and advocating for others on their behalf including medical providers and other vendors.in the past sweet relief has provided services, guidance, and cost savings to over 1,000 artists and music industry workers. One million dollars in aid from other partner charities, local, state and federal programs were awarded with the assistance of sweet relief fund staff members. Sweet relief also accounted for over one million dollars in savings by helping to negotiate medical bills and insurance costs to our constituency.our primary sources of information are our website, and our myspace and facebook sites, which reach thousands of people daily and increase awareness of our services of socioeconomic issues that face musicians, and of what other options exist for musicians in need. Sweet relief has focused our efforts in an area not managed by any other charity currently assisting the music industry. The directed individuals fund has helped severly ill and disabled applicants facing overwhelming financial distress. Patients afflicted with stage 4 cancer, als, spinal injuries among others have benefitted from sweet relief paying for medical treatments sometimes exceeding $10,000. Our goal has been to not only help, but sometimes fix, a situation completely. This is a mission we are working, in earnest, on a daily and yearly basis. We also seek to remind fans and others of the important role that music and musicians play in our lives.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 86.4%; rating input score 86
• Fundraising efficiency: $26.13 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 77.8%; rating input score 78; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -53%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.22; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.1%; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 29.2% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.1% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 13.1% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings